Working Men's, Sports and Social clubs

My uncle Bob James was a boxer & trained many lads at the Stoke Ex-Service Club francesb

Many clubs held boxing lessons for the lads in the 50s into 60s, Canley did as well. There is a long tradition of that. Just another example of the sort of things clubs did and the way they contributed to communities. Taught the lads some discipline and to fight fairly.

On another thread, the following comment has been posted: . . . . it's good manners to acknowledge when help is given, especially the many hours that our fine members have undertaken diligently carrying out free research for so many people . . .

With many apologies for any offence given. I am eternally grateful for the help I have been given from time to time and hope that some of my posts have given a little information of interest in return. No excuse, but in this instance I was waiting for my next trip into town to cross reference one of the comments so I could expand on my original enquiry. Dare I now ask for further comment related to the above. I have a reference to Sid Barriball who used to be in Godiva Harriers as one of the club's first marathon runners. My father in law knew him as a fellow local football referee and also a coach/manager with a local football club. He seemed to think he had two daughters and like him was interested in local boxing. Another reference thought that he was Belgian and came across to England with the evacuation of Dunkirk and settled here. He was a member of a Belgian athletics club.

Your comment is appreciated - thanks Sid Barriball gets a mention here

Good afternoon Forum members. I've enjoyed going through the WMClubs posts. As some of you know, I've been writing about clubs for a while in various publications. I'm now setting out on writing a book dedicated to Coventry's vast array of clubs that used to exist. There were over 60 plus many works social clubs. I can't include every club in the book but will do my best to make sure most get a mention! I already have a fair bit of information about Cov's clubs from previous research but would love Forum members' own stories and memories and pics if they have any. If you've posted something here in the past that I could use, then please let me know. Your support is always appreciated. At one point clubs were the centre of the city's social life in many ways so I'm going to try to do them justice and document their existence, as so many are gone now. Look forward to hearing from you. Ruth

Good evening Forum members Some of you may have used Canley Social when it was a thriving club and have been members. It was an important place in the local community for a long time. My recently published online article about playing bingo with mum, and dad, might strike a chord with you. It's written from a very personal stance but notes the importance of social life for we humans and links to the community. Have a read if you've time or inclination - link. Ruth.

I was never in there, but although with a sad story ending, it must have held great memories for those that did use the establishment over the years as it has Ruth

What a lovely, warm, personal and, finally, sad account Ruth. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

Thanks for reading both Rob and Wearethemods. Much appreciated. I do hold onto the great memories and years of club experiences with mum, dad and the whole family. I feel fortunate to have had those good times 'over the club.'

Had a few pints in there in the early 60`s. My mate was an apprentice gas fitter. Mr & Mrs Robinson (the local crisp maker) used to come in when we were there.

Greg. Living in Elmsdale Avenue my parents-in-law went to the Gas Club from the 40s till the 60s. Even when they moved to Lentons Lane they drove back to the club. But there was another social club opposite, close to the gasworks gate, were my wife learnt to dance. But we can't remember what it was called.

Sometime in the fifties there was a piece in the paper that stated there were over 98 Irish clubs alone in Coventry, so it's a large subject. Housey-housey (bingo) I believe came from the army? All came from Tudor times, shove ha'penny came from shove groat, where coins were slid across a table. Then curling was the outdoor version. Bowling, skittles, card games, dice and table games, and that brought the gambling. Dancing to the flute in ale houses became common and spread to modern times. All goes back to archers practising in groups and enjoying close company, then moving into ale houses.

Kaga - It is the R.A.O.B. Club which is opposite to the old Gas Club in Foleshill Rd. Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes - known as the 'Buffs Club'.

The R.A.O.B. Club is not opposite the old Gas Club on the Foleshill Road. It is in fact dead opposite Parkstone Road, on the Foleshill Road. Before it became the R.A.O.B. Club it was the Foleshill Social Club. It became the 'Buffs', when the new Foleshill Social Club was built on land previously owned by the Lee family. It was a little further up the road, and on the other side of the Foleshill Road. As the Foleshill Social Club, they used to have a disco there every Monday night. which we used to go to. To give an idea of the date, the recording of "At The Hop" by Danny and the Juniors had just come out and was played at the disco.